A fractured or broken ankle can include a break or fracture of the tibia bone. Fractures or breaks of the tibia bone are often repaired by holding bone fragments together to achieve fusion. Generally, this is accomplished by the use of ankle plates that are attached directly to the outer surface of the bone via a surgical procedure.
As with any other bone fracture, the structural strength of a plate used to repair an ankle fracture is of paramount importance. Strength of a plate is generally proportional to the thickness of the plate. However, a thick plate often causes discomfort to the patient since is attached directly to the outer surface of the bone under the skin. A thin plate, while possibly being more comfortable for the patient, reduces the structural strength of the plate, thus making it weaker. A weaker ankle plate is more likely to fail under the stress of patient activity, and therefore exposes the patient to serious injury.
The current state of the art favors a “one size fits all” solution for ankle plates. Thus, where a particular ankle plate might not fit a particular patient, a surgeon wishing to modify the ankle plate to fit it to the patient will typically have to bend, shape, cut, thin out, or otherwise manipulate the ankle plate so that it fits the patient. Such modifications to the ankle plate, however, result in a reduction in the structural strength of the ankle plate.
Accordingly, a need exists for an ankle plate that can provide high structural strength, while at the same time providing more options for customization, and reducing discomfort to the patient.